Trump Says "Kim Jong Un Responded to Dialogue Proposal"... Attempt to Resume Talks Amid Reduced US-South Korea Exercises

Kim Jong Un Responds to Trump’s Offer of Dialogue

Communication Revealed After Order to Scale Down South Korea-U.S. Exercises

NYT: "North Korea’s Bargaining Power Stronger Than in 2018"

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 17th (local time) that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had responded to his offer for talks. Following his directive to significantly scale down the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills the previous day, President Trump revealed this communication with Kim, signaling an attempt to restart U.S.-North Korea dialogue in his second term.

U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House

At the White House, when asked by reporters why Kim Jong Un had not responded to his proposal for talks, President Trump countered, "How do you know he hasn't responded?" When the press followed up by asking, "So, has Kim Jong Un responded?" President Trump replied, "Yes, he has."

However, President Trump did not disclose when or how Kim responded, nor did he provide any details about the message. It also remains unclear whether Kim's reply came before or after President Trump's directive to reduce the scale of the joint drills with South Korea.

President Trump stated through Truth Social the previous day that he had ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to "significantly scale down" the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises.

He emphasized that he and Kim Jong Un "maintain a very good relationship," arguing that joint drills could send "utterly inappropriate and hostile signals" to North Korea. The regular allied exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), began its 11-day schedule on the 17th and is set to continue through the 27th.

The New York Times (NYT) assessed this order to reduce the exercises as President Trump's first concrete gesture of reconciliation toward North Korea in his second term. In 2018, immediately after the Singapore U.S.-North Korea summit, President Trump unilaterally suspended or reduced joint drills with South Korea as he pursued summit diplomacy with Kim. At the time, he criticized the drills as "expensive and provocative," subsequently meeting with Kim three more times. Nonetheless, these efforts failed to achieve North Korea's denuclearization.

This time, the negotiation environment is seen as much more complicated than before. North Korea has expanded its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities, signed a mutual defense treaty with Russia, and gained battlefield experience by providing troops and weapons for the war in Ukraine.

NYT pointed out that North Korea has significantly strengthened its nuclear arsenal and, with economic and diplomatic backing from Russia and China, now has much greater negotiating power than in 2018.

Indeed, Kim Jong Un last year declared that the U.S. would have to abandon its demand for North Korean denuclearization for talks to resume. The Associated Press (AP) also analyzed that North Korea, by enhancing its nuclear forces and increasing military cooperation with Russia, now has less incentive than before to engage in negotiations with the United States.

Amid North Korea's Military Power Upgrades, Drill Reduction Raises Concern over Weakened Deterrence

U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social

NYT reported that President Trump's abrupt decision to reduce the exercises is fueling concerns within South Korea that the deterrent effect of the alliance may be weakened. U.S. military authorities believe that, due to the enhancement of North Korea's military capabilities, the joint exercises have become even more crucial. This year's UFS has been planned to strengthen training by incorporating drone warfare and modern combat experience that the North Korean military gained from the war in Ukraine.

When asked by reporters whether the decision to reduce the drills prioritizes North Korea's interests over those of South Korea, President Trump countered, "I'm making the situation much safer."

President Trump also cited the Iran issue as part of his rationale for reducing the U.S.-South Korea exercises. He claimed that he had recently asked President Lee Jaemyung for South Korea's support regarding the Iran issue but was refused.

Trump also stated through Truth Social the previous day that when he asked South Korea if they were willing to participate in the denuclearization of Iran, he received a "No thanks" response. The South Korean presidential office explained that it is consulting with the United States on practical and military contributions to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Whether Kim Jong Un's "response" will actually lead to working-level talks or a summit between the U.S. and North Korea remains uncertain. NYT predicted that even if a second round of Trump-Kim diplomacy takes place, it will face much higher hurdles than in 2018, as North Korea has greatly expanded its nuclear forces and, having strengthened ties with Russia, now holds more bargaining cards to demand concessions from the United States than in the past.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.